Stockton International Riverside Festival 2012

Celebrating its Silver Jubilee Stockton International Riverside Festival is Europe's largest free open air festival. Now in its 25th year, the festival features a five day programme of outdoor theatre, street entertainment, circus, music and dance, held from Wednesday 1st until Sunday 5th August 2012.

Line-up

The first acts and events confirmed are Gone in 20 Minutes (Gi20), Seasaw, Motor Show, Falling Up, White Suit, Push, Trolleys, Terracotta Army lantern installation, Circus Ronaldo, Gigantikow, Water Fools, and Prometheus Awakes.

Supported by a 1,000 strong community carnival and a star-studded Fringe, SIRF 2012 promises its family-friendly entertainment will, once again, prove worthy of the title 'Best Cultural Event in the North East'.

The festival claims to incorporate an eclectic programme of music and other arts and features a 10,000 capacity outdoor main stage and a programme that takes place at a range of other venues.

A stellar cast of UK and International companies and artists will transform the town with startling and beautiful images.

Special shows

Prometheus

The opening show, a co-commission between SIRF and Greenwich and Docklands Festival, a production by Graeae Theatre, the UK,s leading disabled and deaf company and Spanish company La Fura dels Baus.

After dark, space in Stockton High Street will metamorphose into a magical setting for a large scale interpretation of the story of Prometheus, who bestowed fire on humanity and incurred the wrath of Zeus. The scale of this sensational performance will be breathtaking.

Finale

SIRF always finishes on a high and this year's finale will be a beautiful, dramatic spectacle. British company, Periplum, tell the story of a warring clan in a war torn land, devastated and razed in flames by invading forces. A giant bell ignites their hope in this celebration of human resilience.

Highlights

Other highlights include Ilotopie's aquatic fantasy Water Fools; a large-scale UK premiere for Macnas, Ireland’s leading carnival company; an exhibition of more than 100 lanterns based on the Terracotta Army from Beijing and an interactive sculpture garden from the German artist Gigantikow.

Venues

All of the venues will be opening their doors for FREE for the duration of the festival.

More info

For more information please visit the official site here.

More information will be here when available.

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